Color process timer



United States Patent Werner W. Buechner 4407 Gladding Court, Midland,Mich. 48640 Oct. 23, 1967 Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 302,902. Aug.19. 1963, Patent No. 3,349,685, 621,382,.Ian. 23, 1967, now pendingPatented Dec. 22, 1970 Inventor Appl. No. Filed COLOR PROCESS TIMER 15Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[1.8. CI. 95/89, 5 8/1 26 Int. Cl. G03d 3/00, G04b 19/28 Field of Search95/89; 58/ l 26 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,584,3742/l952 Wickstrom 58/126X 3,081,688 3/1963 Palmer 95/89 PrimaryExaminer-John M. Horan ABSTRACT: A timer comprising a minute and asecond hand is provided with tracks of visually or optically distinctareas which represent approximately the drainage steps and the treatingand washing steps of a photographic color developing process and with atrack of distinct areas representing exactly the drainage steps. Byvisual observation of the relative positions of the minute and secondhand to the said areas, the begin and end of each treating, washing anddrainage step is determined with an accuracy of a second or fractionthereof.

, COLOR PROCESS TIMER This application is a continuation-impart of mycopending application Ser. No. 302,902 filed Aug. 19, 1963 and entitledPROGRAM TIMER now patent No. 3.349,685, and of my copending applicationSer. No. 621,382, filed Jan. 23 1967 and entitled PROGRAM TIMER."

The present invention relates to a timing device for the timing of thesteps of photographic treating processes and more particularly to atiming device which permits to determine, by visual observation of thedial of thetiming device, the begin and end of each step including eachdrainage step.

in my applications Ser. Nos. 302,902 and 621,382 is described andclaimed timing mechanism which utilizes for the timing of multistepphotographic processes, especially of color processes the concept ofutilizing for the timing the exact points of time of the begin and endof the drainage steps occuring between treating steps. The said timerscomprise means for programming the successive steps and functions of amultistep photographic process, such that by the use of contact andcounter contact means the state of energization of one or more primaryelectrical circuits is changed exactly at the begin and end of eachdrainage step and of each chemical treating and washing step of thephotographic process. In the embodiments of the timer, using dial typecarriers for the contact means, the progress of the treating scheduleand the begin and end of each step may be visually observed. Byutilizing an arclike auxiliary contact or area in cooperation with asecond rapidly traveling hand, the exact point of the begin or end ofeach step may be visually observed. This has been utilized in some ofthe embodiments of the timers disclosed'in the said applications, toprovide a separate dial, containing no electrical contacts, for visualobservation of g the progress of the process. a

It is an object of the present invention, to provide timing device whichis programmed to a given photographic color developing process, in whichthe begin and end of each step is detennined solely by visualobservation of the dial or other carrier means.

it is another object of the invention, to provide simple, inexpensivetiming mechanism for the timing of the begin and end of each step,including the drainage steps, of photographic color processes. t I

Another object of the invention is the provision of means, which permit,by attachment to the dial of conventional timers, the conversion of suchconventional timers to a program timer for any desired photographiccolor developing process.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the followingdescription of the invention and from the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1- is a schematic front elevation of a timer comprising a dial withvisual programming means for a color developing process;

FIG. 2 is a schematic top elevation of an exchangeable dial face, foruse with timing device, which dial face permits the visual programmingof a conventional timer to any desired photographic color developingprocess; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic'top elevation of a dial ring, for exchangeablyfastening to the dial of a conventional timer comprising a minute and asecond hand. 7

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the novel timer comprises ahousing 4, minute hand 5, second hand 6, knob 7 for setting of the hand5 and/or 6, driving means (not shown) for rotatively driving minute hand5 at l r.p.m'. and second hand 6 at l r.p.rn., both hands rotatingclockwise in the direction of the arrows, ratchet and clutch means (notshown) for pennitting the manual setting of both hands 5 and 6, andon-off switch 8, for starting and stopping said driving means.

The dial 9 is programmed to Kodak Process E-3 for the development ofcertain types of Ektachrorne film materials by the reversal method. Thetotal duration of this processing schedule is longer than 1 hour andrequires therefore the breaking up of the time schedule, into two parts.In order to accommodate this process, two tracks, are provided, one foreach part, containing distinct sections corresponding in theirperipheral length (or angle, respectively) approximately to the lengthof the treating steps, (chemical treating steps and washing steps) andto the drainage steps, respectively. Dial 9 comprises accordingly, inthis particular embodiment of the timer, an inner track 10 of dark areas11 and light areas 12. Concentrically with track 10 is provided a secondtrack 13 which covers only a small part of a circle. Coneentrically totracks 10 and 13 is a third fully circular track of one arclike longdark area 14 and the remaining part of a circle filled by a light area(not marked). The dark areas 11 and 15 are relatively short,representing an angle covered by the minute hand in somewhat longer timethan the actual duration of the drainage steps between treating steps.In this particular embodiment of the timer, programmed for Process 5-3,the drainage steps between treating steps are 10 seconds, representingan angle of 1, (based on the rate of travel of the minute hand). Toprovide for inaccuracies in the positioning of the minute hand at anyone time, the dark areas 11 and 15 are made longer, by 1 at each side,such that they correspond to a time value of 30 seconds. The dark areasare spaced such, that the white areas 12 and 16 represent approximatelythe duration of the treating steps, (chemical treating and washingsteps, as the case may be) minus the drainage'timc of 10 seconds (1) atthe end (clockwise direction) and minus 'the extensions of 1 (10seconds) given to the dark areas 11 or 15, respectively. Of course, the1 (10 seconds extension) of the dark area on the far side (in clockwisedirection) is subtracted from the begin of the white area whereapplicable. Thus, each white area (with the exception of the first)covers an angle corresponding to the total time of the treatment time,it represents, minus 30 seconds. Thus, as the minute hand travels aroundthe dial, its free end or pointer 17, respectively, stands over thewhite area as long as the treating step represented by the white area,is to proceed. At about the time, that the photographic material is to.be removed from the respective treating station and to be held fordrainage, before it is insertedinto the next treating station, the freeend of the minute handmoves over one of the dark areas 11 or 15,indicating the fact that removal of the treated photographic materialfrom the treating station, wherein it is contained, and drainage is due,The exact point of time, at which the photographic material is to beremoved for drainage and the exact point of time of reinsertion into thenext treating station, is indicated by the dark area 14 in the outermosttrack. Second hand 6 makes a 360 sweep every. 60 seconds. Since thedrainage time is to be exactly 10 seconds, and is to be deducted fromthe end of the preceding treating step (treatment still goes on duringdrainage), the dark area 14 is placed to the left of the starting orzero position and is made exactly 60 long (corresponding to 10 seconds).Thus, the exact point of begin of the drainage period is indicated, whenthe free end of second hand 6 moves over the edge 14a at the left ofdark area 14 and the material is held for drainage as long as pointer 18moves over dark area 14, and is reinserted in the next treating stationexactly at the point of time,

that the free end or pointer 18 of hand 6 moves over end 14b into thedeveloper, he throws the switch 8 to start the timer running. Heobserves the minute hand 5, and when its pointer 17 has moved close toor over the dark area at 15, he observes the travel of second hand 6.When pointer 18 of the second hand stands over edge 14a of dark area 14,he removes the film from the first developer, holds it for drainage inthe prescribed manner, and inserts it into the second treating station,(running water) when pointer 18 moves over edge 14b of arclike dark area14. As soon as pointer 17 moves close to or over thesecond dark area intrack 13, he observes the pointer so forth until the material has beenpassed through step 4 of 5 process E-3 (wash). He then removes the'filmfrom the washing station, stops the timer by throwing switch 8, resetsthe timer to the starting or zero position, as before, and subjects thefilm to the reversal exposure in the usual manner.

Thereafter, the operator holds the material ready for insertion into thefifth treating station (color developer) and starts the timer bythrowing switch 8 exactly at the moment that he inserts the film in thecolor developer (step 6). He leaves the film in the colordeveloper,until pointer 17 moves over dark area lllla in inner track 10 andpointer 18 moves over edge Ma of dark area 14, holds it for drainage,inserts into the next treating station, when pointer 13 moves over theedge 14b and so forth, until all treating steps have been completed,when pointer 17 has moved over dark area lib and pointer 18 moves overedge 14a.

in the just described manner, processes having a duration longer than 60minutes can be conveniently programmed on a full circular or 360 dial ofa timer, having a l-r.p.h. minute hand. If the timer is made very large,eg 20 inches diameter of the dial, or, if the timer is operated at lessthan 1 r.p.h. of the main hand, the second hand 6 may not be needed,because on large dials or at slower speeds, the accuracy of theindication of the minute hand may be good enough to satisfy the needs ofmost color processes. However, the convenience of using a l-r.p.h.second hand and the very great increase in accuracy by a factor of 60render the just described embodiment the preferred timer for all arounduse.

The drainage steps are shown in the MG. 1 as dark areas. Thisarrangement is preferred, when the timer is lighted (e.g. by safelightfiltered light). In this case, it is beneficial, to give the pointer 17a light color or make it reflective. Alternatively, the drainage stepsmay be represented by reflective areas representing the treating steps.Many film developing processes, such as Process E3, are carried out, inthe first part, in total darkness, if the film is not contained inlighttight containers. In this case, it is preferred, that the steps arerepresented by alternating luminescent or phosphorescent areas andnonluminescent or phosphorescent areas, preferably such that thedrainage steps are represented by the luminescent areas, or if desired,narrow and wide luminescent or phosphorescent areas may alternate torepresent alternatingly the drainage and the treating steps. Thepointers are, in this case, also luminescent, at least in part, so thatthe relative positions of the minute hand and second hand in relation totheprogrammed areas can be readily determined by visual inspection.Other means may be used, to provide visually or optically distinct areasfor the treating (chemical treating and washing steps) and for thedrainage steps. The areas representing the drainage steps may betransparent and backlighted (e.g. made from safelight filter materialfor the photographic material, and the areas representing the treatingsteps are opaque or vice versa the areas representing the treating stepsmay be transparent or translucent). The areas representing the drainagesteps may also be provided as the ends of plastics which are capable ofguiding light along their interior. Alternatively, the whole trackassembly may be made from'such plastic, with the light introduced at onepoint, and all areas, which are to be dark, covered by an opaque layerof suitable material or paint etc. such that only one kind of areas islighted up. Other means well known to produce optical or visualdistinction may be used in similar manner to produce the tracks ofalternating visually or optically distinct areas.

lnstead of programming the timer to Process E-3, it may be programmed toany other desired photographic process, including Kodaks Process CP-S.An example of programming this process is given in my copendingapplication Ser. No. 677,265 and the visually programmed dial may have ageneral appearance as represented in FIG. 17 of that application or insuitable adaptation to the purposes of the present invention, serving asan example of programming several functions in different tracks. Thedial in F1617 of saidcopending application may be made to be moreaccurate by adding another track, comprising a dark are'a, indicatingthe S-second drainage time as explained hereinbefore. if the timer has alr.p.m. second hand and drainage periods may occur at 30- secondintervals, the track cooperating with the second hand may contain twodistinct areas,ir idicating the exact drainage time. a

Instead of providing separate timers for each process to be practiced,it is more economical to adapt an existing timer, such as thecommercially available darki'oom timer, e.g. the timer sold under thetrademark ORA-LAB," Universal Timer, Model 168, to be used as a visualprogram timer. ln this case, it is only required to substitute one ormore exchangeable dials for the conventional dial. An example of anexchangeable dial is illustrated in FIG. 2. The dial face 20. comprisesa thin sheet 21 of material, e.g. of metal, plastic, cardboard etc.,having a rectangular top and a half circular bottom. In the lowerportion is provided slot 22, of a width to permit slipping the dial 26,by slot 22 over the shafl of the timer. On the dial is provided an innertrack 23 of visually distinct alternating areas, representing thetreating and drainage steps of a photographic color process (Kodak(3-22), having drainage steps of 10 seconds. The treating steps arerepresented by narrow, reflective areas or arcs 24 and the drainagesteps by wider, nonreflective 'areas 25. As before, one kind of theareas may be made luminescent, or phosphorescent etc. Thedial 20 isprogrammed foruse in a timer in which the hands (a minute hand at lr.p.h. and a second hand at '1 r.p.nL'move clockwise, i.e. toward theright, if viewed from the front. Accordingly, the outer track,containing the arclike dark area 26 for determining the exact.

begin and end of the drainage period by the second hand, is provided atthe left of the 12 oclock position.

For the operation of the timer, theexchangeable dial 20, beingprogrammed for the photographic process to be timed, is slipped intochannellike or slotlike holding means, contoured in accordance with theshown outline of the exchange able dial and contained in or at the timer(not shown). The hands of the timer are then set to the startingposition (both in 12 o'clock position) and the timer is started at thepoint that the photographic material is inserted into the first treatingstation. The material is removed, held for drainage, inserted in thenext treating station etc., as described hereinbefore.

The exchangeable dial or dial face may have any other desired shape,outline and size as is convenient to suit the timer with which it isused. If desired, the inner circular area of the timer may be sparedout, so as to expose to view the dial of the timer showing the numeralsand subdivisions of the original timer, so that the timer may be usedboth as program timer and as a regular timer, e.g. for the timing ofexposure. Any other means for removably holding the dial face on the":timer may be used.

Instead of using as exchangeable dial face, one may employ 5 also anexchangeable dial ring, such as is illustrated e.g. in":

FIG. 3 of the accompanying drawings. Dial ring 30 comprises a flatringlike body 31, made from thin, sheet material, e.g,

metal, plastic orcardboard, e.g. by cutting or stamping. The; ring isprovided with cars 32, each having a hole 33 for fastening the ring onthe timer face e.g. by the use of screws, thumb-- screws or slipon pinsetc. The minute hand 34 (l r.p.h.) and. the second hand 35 (1 rpm.) ofthe timer are indicated by; broken lines. The timer is programmed forKodak Color: Developing Process P-122 for use in a timer, in which the:hands move counter clockwise as indicated by arrows The? outer trackcontains one arclike light 36, as described before,

for cooperation with the second hand 35 to indicate visually. the beginand end of each drainage period. The second track 37, covering a partialcircle, contains alternating dark or/nonreflective areas 38,representing the treating steps and light or reflective areas 39,representing the drainage steps. As

described hereinbefore, the light areas are made somewhat longer, in thedirection of the periphery of the circle (corresponding to a largerangle), than corresponds to the actual and starts the timer by throwingthe on switch, when he inserts the photographic material, using thedirections of the timer for drainage, removal and insertion as describedhereinbefore, until he has completedthe last step, (drainage step) whenthe timer shuts itselfofi'. Y i v Sometimes it is desired to prolong thetreatment of second and successive batches'of photographic material toprolong the treating time in the first developer by a certain timeincrement. The timer, comprising the dial ring of FIG. 3 is adapted toprovide this time increase by helpof divisions in seconds provided onthe scale 41, representing the third track. (showing the numerals 5: to55 in counterclockwisearrangement).

To provide, for instance, a time increase of 55. seconds, the operatorsets the minute hand to thestarting mark 40 and turns, by knob 42,the'second hand clock ise, to the mark at the numeral 55 on the thirdtrack 41,. He then starts thetimer for development and proceeds as'describedhereinbefore. If the time-increase is longer than 60 seconds,the operator utilizes the short scale 42 at the lower right, whichisdivided in sections, each'representing one minute of travel of theminute hand and marked by numerals 1 to 6. To prolong the treatmenttimein'the first developer, for instance, by 1 minute and 34 seconds,the operator sets the minute hand at numeral 1 on scale 42 and turnssecond hand 35 clockwise to the mark indicating 34 seconds, as shown inFIG. 3, whereby minute hand 34 is moved about to the position as shown,(between numerals 1 and 2). When the operator starts thetimer at theinsertion of e.g. exposed enlarging paper into the developer, he willachieve -a development time I minute and 34 seconds longer than isstandard, by just following through with the observation of the handsorpointers, respectively, provided at their free ends and their relativepositions to the areas,

representing the here'inbefore.

In the foregoing, the timer has been described as comprising a permanentor exchangeable dial face, comprising full or partial circular tracks ofalternating optically distinct areas. The.

drainage'periods in the'm'anner described timer may also be constructedin such manner, that the tracks of said optically distinct areas,representing the treating and drainage steps, are provided on travelingbelts, in a manner, as described e.g. in my application Ser. No.621,382, using e.g. the perforations shown therein with back-lighting ofsafelight,

filtered light, and a stationary pointer or marking needle or the like.Alternatively, the tracks may be printed, or provided in any othermanner as visually distinct zones or areas on the belt, or they may beprovided on rotating discs or drums or on any other desired carrieras-shown by way of example of contac ts or perforations in variousembodiments of the timer in my copending 677,265. I

Many changes and alterations may be made and-the various featuresdescribed herein and in said copending applications may be recombined toproduce new embodiments of the timer of the present invention, as maycome readily to mind. The hands may rotate at lower or higher speeds,than shown hereinbefore, and any other manner of providing the tracks ofI the visually or optically distinct areas maybe employed.

As many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it isunderstood, that the invention is not application Ser Nos. 302,902 andSer. No.

limited to'the specific embodiments thereof, except as defined in theappended claims.

I claim:

1. Timing mechanism for the timing of multistep photographicwet-treating process, comprising time-indicating means and at least onetrack of visually or optically distinct, alternating areas, representingaltematingly and successively the lengths of the treating and drainagesteps of a photographic wet-treating process, wherein said tracks ofvisually or optically distinct areas is provided on an exchangeablecarrier, such that a given timer may be readily programmed to any one ofa multitude of different photographic wet-processing schedules by merelysubstituting the respective carrier, which is programmed to saidprocess, and wherein said alternating areas are arranged such thattherelative position of the timeindicating means to said alternatingvisually or optically distinct areas serves as an indication of thebegin and end of each drainage step and treating step, respectively.

2. The timing mechanism of claim 1; wherein the time indicating meansare a minute hand and second hand, rotatively driven by driving means,and the visually oroptically distinct alternating areas are arranged inat least one circular track, so that the relative position of the handsover said track serves as an indication of the progress of the processschedule of said photographic multistep process.

3. The timing mechanism of claim 2, wherein at least one track isprovided, which cooperates withlthe minute hand, and

in which the visually or optically distinct areas are arranged andproportioned such, that one kind of the areas, representing the drainagestep, is peripherally slightly longer, than corresponds to the actualtime of the drainage step, and at least a seconditrack is providedcooperative with the second hand,

which comprises a long arclike area exactly corresponding in time valueto and representing the actual, drainage step, such that the position ofthe traveling second hand over the nearedge of said arclike area,indicates exactly the end of a treating step and the begin of a drainageperiod, and its position over the faredge indicates exactly the end ofthe drainage periodand the begin of the next treating step.

-4. The timing mechanism of claim 1, in which the tracks of visually oroptically distinct areas are provided on an exchangeable dial face to beattached to the timing mechanism by holding means.

5. The timing mechanism of claim 1, in which the tracks of visually oroptically distinct areas are provided on an exchangeable dial ring; andmeans for attaching said dial ring to the face of said timing mechanism.a

6. The timing mechanism of claim 2, which comprises-an adjuvarit trackof divisions of the time of travel of the second hand and cooperativewith the second hand and an adjuvant short scale, of divisionsof thetime of travel of the minute hand and cooperative with the minute hand,so as to permit the timing by visual observation of extended periods oftreatment in the first treating step of the process schedule. 7. Thetiming device of claim 1, which comprises auxiliary track andtime-indicating means cooperating at an increased relative speed, so asto increase the accuracy of the timer by a factor corresponding to theincrease in relative speed.

8. The timing device of claim 1, which comprises in addition means forindicating on a given track an extended treatment time in the firsttreating step of the process schedule.

9. The timing mechanism of claim 1, wherein said areas, representingeither the treating steps or the drainage steps are provided with aluminescent material and the areas representing the other type of stepsis nonluminescent.

10. The timing mechanism of claim 1, wherein the areas representing thedrainage steps between treating steps are of light color, and whereinthe areas, representing the treating steps are of dark color.

l1. Exchangeable timer face for the instant programming of a timer,having movable time-indicating means, to the time schedule of the stepsof a multistep photographic wet-treating process, having treating anddrainage steps of different length,

which timer face comprises a face portion and means for holding thetimer face on said timer, said face portion comprising at least onetrack of visually or optically distinct areas, successively representingthe steps of said process, each area having a length in the direction ofrelative travel of said time-indicating means, which correspondsapproximately to the time of duration of the respective step representedby said area, wherein the area representing each drainage step isvisually or optically distinct from the areas representing the precedingand succeeding treating steps, and wherein said visually or opticallydistinct areas are arranged for cooperation with said time-indicatingmeans, when the exchangeable timer face is contained on said timer.

12. The timer face of claim 11, wherein the said visually or opticallydistinct areas are arranged in at least one circular track forcooperation with the minute hand of a timer so equipped, when the deviceis contained on said timer.

13. The timer face of claim 11, wherein a central circular, portion iscut out. I

M. The timer face of claim 11, whereinthe areas representing thedrainage stepsare made longer, in the direction of relative travel ofsaid time indicating means, than correspond to the actual time of thedrainage steps, and the areas representing the treating steps arecorrespondingly shorter, and at least one second track being comprisedon said face, which second track comprises at least one long arclikearea exactly corresponding in time value to and representing the actuallength of duration and time of said drainage step, when it cooperateswith the second handof the timer, said arclike areas being dimensionedand positioned for cooperation with the second hand of a timer soequipped, when the device is contained thereon.

15. The timer face of claim 11, wherein said areas representing thedrainage steps are luminescent, and the areas representing the treatingsteps are nonluminescent and of dark color.

